Armageddon Within: The Final Fight (Using Your Talents For Entrepreneurship)

Although there are a multitude of things going on in the external world that can cause distractions, drama and dissatisfaction, are these things the real reason that are keeping you from going to the next level? Or, are there some internal voices that are giving you excuses that you tell to yourself so frequently that you actually begin to believe your own lie? Have you actually brainwashed or hypnotized yourself into the paralysis of analysis or self-conflict?
At times when we watch the news, surf the web, work, go to school, deal with family, friends and co-workers, we find that we need a break or vacation because if we don’t take those “mental health days” our lives may feel like we’re close to the biblical war of Armageddon. Although there are many realities that we must face, handle and conquer, I submit to you that the final fight is within. This is the fight of controlling and maintaining positive thoughts.
It seems like there is something in nature, some call it Murphy’s law (What can go wrong, will go wrong) that just happens shortly after we make a decision to go out and achieve a goal or dream. When we decide to do something positive and life changing, here comes that opposition. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Whenever I learn the game, they change the rules”? Well, this is what happens in life. So in order for you and I to make it to the finish line we have to have those attributes that Napoleon Hill talks about in his book “Think & Grow Rich”. Qualities like desire, enthusiasm, persistence, auto-suggestion, and organized planning to name a few. They require positive and consistent thinking. You must think with a laser beam like focus. Yes, you must focus like a thoroughbred with blinders on so that you can win the race. As the Bible says “Walk by faith and not by site”. This means, that at first you may have a clear picture of your goals, but when you lose resources such as time, money or energy than all of a sudden, the finish line is no longer in sight and you want to quit or change course. Only positive and consistent thinking and renewing your mind will get you to the finish line. As the bible says “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
Yes, this is warfare! When you’re set out to achieve a victory and your negative voice comes up from within you and says “you can’t do that” or your friends, family or even a stranger says “you can’t do that” and they can even tell you all the reasons that you will fail, what are you going to do? Are you going to let their suggestion change your thinking and focus or are you going to have that strong positive voice rise up and say “Thanks, but I got this”, “Mind your business”, “I’m a winner”? In fact, you’ve already won. When speaking about embarking on new endeavors, I once heard Oprah Winfrey say “I take a deep breath and visualize the ending”. You have to use creative visualization to see the end result, in detail, of what you really want and then go to work for it. The more you focus, the more things will come together.

Remember, it’s war. A positive war perhaps, but trust me, war techniques will help you because sometimes you will advance, other times you will have to pause, at other times you may have to retreat. You may even have to “surrender” (spiritually, mentally) so that you can live to fight another day. In pausing, retreating and surrendering, you can refresh, renew, review and gather up new and additional resources to revive your campaign to the finish line!
So the war is against self-conflict! As long as you’re indecisive and that little angel on one shoulder is battling with that little angel on the other shoulder, you’re going to be a hot mess. Trust me, I was there for a long time and the main solution to winning is to listen to the little angel and take swift bold action! Challenge your fears, which are really paper tigers, as the Nike slogan says “Just do it”. Get started, just do it. I don’t know about you, but I see jobs (just over broke) leaving our country and disappearing due to technology and automation. This should be encouraging enough to make one use their talents and find ways to market them.
Then there is, as they often mention in network marketing, “your why”. This is your strong reason(s) for doing what you want and need to do in order to have financial freedom and live the lifestyle of your dreams in which you truly deserve! Can you imagine a time of financial pain that you would never want to revisit? Are you tired of things repeating in your life in a circular manner? Than who are you waiting for to fix it? Is your why strong enough to make you desire to get out of your comfort zone and go all out for your goals and dreams? You’re why could be your children, your lover, your “I’m not going back there anymore”.
My earliest memories of life where in Harlem, where I was born and the Bronx where I was partially raised by my single mother. I had 2 little sisters, both with separate fathers. I saw things in the inner city that no child should see and I ran from bullies and thieves that were frightening. I was recruited by a gang at the age of 7 and of course there was peer pressure. Worst of all, I would see my mother faint and have nervous breakdowns due to being overworked and underpaid while trying to raise us without steady child support from our fathers. Even when we moved to the suburbs of Teaneck New Jersey, our lights or heat would sometimes be off. At other times my mother would say “Listen, don’t eat all of the food in one day because I don’t get paid again until Friday”. I promised my Mother that I would buy her a house one day. She has passed away and I hope to give all and more to my wife, son, family and leave a legacy of owning and not renting. This is my why. People tell me that I’m always hustling, moving and working, but I’m doing what I love and I feel the passion! You have to have passion! So I’m consistently thinking positive and I’m determined to win this war of Armageddon within!
Kamal Imani is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, event planner, Teacher, Spoken Word Poet, Author, Film Director and Marketing Consultant residing in northern New Jersey.